Are You Running The Wrong Way?

The way you run could be hurting your knees

Your running form may be setting you back instead of boosting your health. According to a recent report published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, up to 56% of runners experience overuse injuries like shin splints and knee aches each year, and the way you run may be partly to blame: Runners who first strike the ground with their forefeet experience fewer knee injuries than their heel-striking counterparts, the study found.

Landing on the ball of your foot causes 16% less pressure on the lower knee, says lead researcher Juha-Pekka Kulmala, a PhD candidate at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland. “Rear-foot strikers use mainly the knee joint as an energy absorber,” which generates a higher risk for injury, Kulmala explains.

Before you think of changing your stride—which can take anywhere from eight weeks to six months—try some simpler ways to protect your knees during runs. Kulmala suggests taking smaller, quicker steps to reduce the force of impact on your knee.

For added armor, Reed Ferber, PhD, director of the Running Injury Clinic at the University of Calgary, advises strength training. “Research shows that strengthening the gluteus medius muscles (the muscles on the side of your hips) is critical. These muscles are responsible for stabilizing knees and hips when you're balancing on one foot—which is what happens with each footfall when you run. If they aren't strong, then other muscles must compensate, and this often leads to injury,” Dr. Ferber says. “Our research has shown that strength gains can occur within three weeks—which beats the eight weeks of training to learn how to run completely different.” Try this Thigh-Toning Workout, which will strengthen your inner and outer thighs, including the gluteus medius.